The federal government has awarded more than $3.4 million in funding that aims to improve access to health care and education services in rural Maine.

Sen. Olympia Snowe and Sen. Susan Collins said the U.S. Department of Agriculture funding will go toward expanding services such as home care for critically ill patients and technical skills training for adults to improve their employment marketability.

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The funding is going to educational and school programs in Houlton, Topsham, Waterville and Unity, and health care programs in Lewiston and Caribou.

In addition, the Maine Sea Coast Missionary Society in Bar Harbor is getting nearly $109,000 to upgrade the Sunbeam, the ship used to provide services to island communities.